6.2.22 Got an offer through Heritage for my beautiful 1915-S Lincoln. Hated to sell but the offer was about $2k over what I paid ($1700 after fees). Some days I tell myself I should be selling the entire cabinet but when the coin bug hits again I don’t like the prospect of starting over. Some of my coins don’t come around every day.
4.3.22 Purchased my first coin at auction in six months hence the long time between site updates. Prices at auction are insane. In fact, the CC has been selling duplicates and other coins at the back of the cabinet for over the moon prices. The part of the CC most in demand by seems to be CAC OGH but CC isn’t selling any of those. Today at GreatCollections a very common 1938-D MS 65 CAC Gold that CC had purchased for $167 a couple of years ago went for $408 hammer.
10.24.21 Prices have been too rich for my blood lately. Rather than fight the trend I’ve shipped off some more duplicates and other coins not part of the core CC to auction. Still picking up any nice CAC | OGH coins if I can.
PCGS Registry Rankings for The Christopher Collection
Lincoln Cents Basic Set, Circulation Strikes (1909-1958) | Rank 90
Texas Half Dollar Set, Circulation Strikes (1934-1938) | Rank 40 (complete, all MS66 CAC)
Washington Statehood Quarters Basic Set, Silver Proof (1999-2008) | Rank 200 (lack two)
Washington Quarter Commemorative Series, Silver Proof (2009-Present) | Rank 1 (tied with many others)
*** View the custom coin cabinet that houses The Christopher Collection ***
Some That Got Away
1888 MS65 CAC OGH
GreatCollections 11.17.19. CC bid $611, hammer was $1,675. PCGS price guide was only $625. At least two bidders really wanted this coin. I did too, but not for more than an MS66.
1913 MS66+RD CAC
GreatCollections 3.14.21. The Bellewood Collection. PCGS price guide was $1,850. CC bid $3,211, hammer was $3,612. Quality always in demand.
1937-S MS65 CAC(Gold) OGH
GreatCollections 4.28.19. CC bid $181, hammer was $877. PCGS price guide is $45. Yes you read that right, it went for 20x price guide.
1926-S MS64RD
Stack’s Bowers 5.23.19. CC bid $4,400, hammer was $7,200. PCGS price guide was $7,000. With a 20% auction fee that puts the coin at close to $9,000.
1922-D MS65
GreatCollections 9.26.21. CC bid $2100, hammer was $2901. PCGS price guide was only $1400. I’ve bid on 2 different 65+ CAC’s in last two years that went for about $3000 each. Crazy prices out there right now.
1929 MS67+RD CAC
GreatCollections 7.28.19. CC bid $3,361 and hammer was $4,001. CC dearly wanted the coin. PCGS price guide was $3,850. Winning bid with auction fees was $4,612.50. A 12/- none finer coin.
Recent Acquisitions
1915-S MS65 Pan-Pac $1 CAC | OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 10.17.24. Part of my 20th Century CAC | OGH type set. Was surprised at the price I got it for especially since it was gold and a CAC | OGH which have been seeing really high prices at auction lately.
1941-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 7.11.21. Replaces a MS66. Christopher Collection now has 18 MS67+RD CAC’s in a row (1937-1942) interrupted by three MS68 CAC Steel Cents. Doesn’t prevent a steady decline in registry ranking. You need a lot of money to play this game!
1888-O MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 6.6.21. Another addition to my Morgan CAC | OGH set.
1955 PR66 CAC OGH-1
Acquired GreatCollections 5.2.21. Another addition for my 20th Century CAC OGH Type Set.
1913 Type I MS65 CAC | OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 4.3.22. Part of my 20th Century CAC | OGH type set. Not the prettiest coin but how many CAC | OGH Type 1 Buffalo’s are out there? CC picked up for under $200 which I thought was a bargain. Without CAC | OGH probably a $25 coin but afraid to look.
1963 PR66 CAC | OGH
Already owned a Proof Franklin for my 20th Century CAC | OGH Type Set but this one was only $41. I will buy any Gem or better CAC | OGH coins for that price. Beautiful in hand and think it would be a DCAM if regraded.
1903 MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 6.6.21. Another addition to my Morgan CAC | OGH set.
1938-D MS66 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 4.25.21. Already owned a 1938-D in a MS65 with a Gold CAC sticker but this one was going really cheap.
The Bellewood Collection - GreatCollections March 14, 2021
1913-S MS65RD CAC
A 272 point coin - a real registry booster. Early San Francisco Mint Lincolns this nice are hard to find.
1925-D MC65RD CAC
A 204 point coin. Visitors can see the quality and breath of this sale from the coins CC was able to acquire. Last CC bid was 1 second before close!
1927 MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 1.31.21. Another CAC OGH for my 20th Century Type Set. I think this coin looks really nice and avoids the bag marks so common on these large gold coins. A lot of coins left to go in the type set as I’m getting one of each commemorative too.
1925 Stone Mountain MS66 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 1.10.21. An early commemorative for my CAC OGH type set. It is amazing just how many commemorative coins the mint released in 1920’s and 1930’s.
1909 VDB MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 12.6.20. A nice bookend to the CC Wheat Cent Registry Set.
1938 Texas MS66 CAC OGH
Acquired David Lawrence 10.25.20. My quest to assemble all 13 of the Texas Commemoratives in MS66 CAC is complete. The 1938 is really hard to find although it isn’t considered rare. This is the first registry set I have completed and it took three years.
1883 MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 8.30.20. Another CAC OGH for Morgan set. CC up to 16 different dates/mint marks all MS65 or 66 in CAC OGH. This looks better than a MS65 to my amateur eye as the cheek is very clean and there’s nice detail on the hair.
1933-D MS67RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 3.15.20. This is a 45/3 population coin that replaces a MS66+RD CAC. Beautiful strike and color but no “+” grade for this pretty boy even though I think strike and details better than the 1936 below.
1937 Roanoke MS65 CAC OGH(Gold)
Acquired GreatCollections 7.12.20. Another coin for the CAC OGH Type Set I am building and this one has the bonus of a Gold sticker. Again I point out no date on the holder.
1936 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 3.1.20. This replaces an MS67 in the collection. Population 38/1. The CC now has 109 of 140 coins needed for the Lincoln Wheat Registry.
1928-D MS65+RD | CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 1.26.20. Fierce bidding past PCGS price guide for this. Pre 1930 Lincolns, especially in CAC, always pricey. Pop 10/18. This coin gets a 2x point bonus for rarity in the PCGS registry.
1955-D MS67+RD | CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 12.22.19. For a Pop 5/- none finer coin this went very cheap. Amazed these aren’t picked up by one of the top 10 Lincoln registry sets when at auction.
1923 MS65 CAC | OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 12.1.19. Another CAC OGH for my 20th Century type set. The older coins are easy, precious few Roosevelt’s or Kennedy’s available in OGH CAC.
1936 Cleveland MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 10.6.19. Another coin for my CAC OGH 20th century MS type set. Note the founder is Cleaveland but I guess the city’s early inhabitants had trouble spelling that.
1931-D MS66RD CAC
Acquired 9.8.19 GreatCollections. A 66 might seem like a modest uncirculated grade for a 1930’s Lincoln but there are only 7 graded finer. This is a registry pleasing 204 points but NO bump in ranking.
1882-CC MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired 6.30.19 GreatCollections. One more for the Gem CAC OGH Morgan set I am slowly building. It seems more Morgan’s are in OGH holders than any other series.
1937-S MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 6.8.29 Heritage Auctions. Pop 28/- so a one point bonus for this coin. Heritage must be monitoring this site as they finally improved their Lincoln photos.
1909 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 6.19.19 GreatCollections. A top pop coin (14/-). This is a beautiful coin and one CC would not be outbid on.
1935-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 6.19.19 GreatCollections. Pop is 13/1. I almost did not bid as I did not like the color. Fortunately a TrueView image was available and color was more akin to the 1909 above. TrueView helps sell your coins.
1946-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 6.10.19 Heritage Auctions. A top pop (15/-) coin. Holder is bright and clear—not sure how Heritage manages to make them look so old and grey in the pictures.
1937-D MS66 CAC(Gold) OGH
Acquired 6.2.19 GreatCollections. Another CAC Gold OGH (sticker looks blue in the picture but it is indeed gold in life). Just love this coin, my second favorite design after the Texas one.
1937 Texas MS66 CAC
Acquired 5.19.19 GreatCollections. CC now has 10 of 13 Texans for this registry set - all MS66 CAC. Commemorative’s offer a lot of collecting options at affordable prices. Most go for a few hundred or even less in gem condition with a CAC sticker.
1917 Type 1 MS66FH CAC OGH
Acquired 4.14.19 GreatCollections. I have wanted a nice Type 1 Standing Liberty since I was kid. This will be in a 20th Century CAC OGH type set I plan to gradually assemble. Bidding was fierce but as this is a birthday present from Mrs. CC I felt comfortable bidding aggressively. CC can’t see how this wouldn’t get a plus on a reconsideration submission.
1951-S MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 3.24.19 GreatCollections. Replaces a 67RD CAC. Another top pop CAC for the registry set. CC appreciative that True View images are becoming the norm. CC always send coins off for pictures and a reholder when PCGS runs a special. CC abhors a cracked, scratchy holder.
1944 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 2.24.19 GreatCollections. Replaces a 67RD. This is not a none finer coin so only a half point bump to the registry set.
1943 MS68 CAC
Purchased 1.20.19 GreatCollections. Normally I wait to receive (or at least pay) for a coin before posting. My two year hunt for a 1943 MS68 CAC is happily over. A top pop with 54/- PCGS and 8/- in CAC.
1935 MS66 CAC
Purchased 1.13.19 GreatCollections. Continuing my micro set of Texas Commemoratives in MS66 CAC. Have 8 out of 13 now.
1948-D MS67+RD CAC
Purchased 12.16.18 GreatCollections. Another top pop (8/-) for the registry set. Bidding was fierce.
1943-D MS67FB CAC
Purchased 12.10.18 GreatCollections. Sometimes you just have to buy something when you keep losing out on coins you want.
1950-D MS67+RD CAC
Purchased 12/2/18 from GreatCollections. PCGS has 14 in this grade and none finer. This fills a hole in my registry set.
1912-D MS66RD
Purchased 10/11/18 Heritage Auctions. Typical unflattering picture from Heritage. A 272 point registry coin. I may send this one to CAC.
1920 MS66+RD CAC
Acquired David Lawrence 10/07/18. Three early Lincolns acquired in one week, all CAC and Gold Shield. Two coins filled holes and one was a slight upgrade. Another D.L. Hansen coin but not from his top set.
1911 MS66+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 9/30/18. Freely admit to overpaying but this one was a must have. Early Lincolns this nice are hard to come by especially without spots and always seem to go for more than the PCGS price guide. No registry bump though.
1887 MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 9/16/18. Continuing to work slowly on a Morgan CAC | OGH collection. This has a very clean cheek for a MS65. It is surprising how many CAC OGH Morgan’s are still out there.
1929-S MS66RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections auction 7/22/18. Fills a hole in the set. A solid but not great coin.
1942-S MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections auction 7/1/2018. This is the third 67+ CAC I've owned. I keep finding ones I like better. The first one I made $85 on when I sold but the second I think I overpaid for so expecting a loss. Lesson is only buy what you really love! Note the quality of this image versus the HA image of the 1913-D below.
1913-D MS65+RD CAC
Acquired Heritage Auctions June 14th, 2018. Early Lincolns are very challenging. Even many CAC coins have problems but happy to acquire this one. HA I think has trouble photographing Lincolns - they always look worse than they are. Fortunately a TrueView image was available.
1939-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections May 13, 2018. Replaces 67RD CAC OGH in The Christopher Collection.
1914 MS66 RD CAC
A 136 point coin. CC once owned a NGC 66 CAC OH but it wouldn’t cross at PCGS. Curious as it had a CAC sticker and PCGS didn’t even consider it a 66.
This was one of the best auctions of Lincoln Cents the CC has ever seen. Many coins went for crazy prices but there were some coins that did not go for as much as you would expect. CC bid on 8 different coins but was blown out of the water as some went for 3x their PCGS price guide and many multiples above other recent auctions of the same coins. The quality offered in this sale brought out the serious collectors.
1898-O MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 1.31.21. I now have 20 different Morgan’s in Gem or better in CAC OGH holders. There are lots of these out there but the eye appeal is all over the place even with a CAC sticker. Nice cheek on this one and all marks very slight.
1936 Elgin Illinois MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 12.27.20. Commemorative for a city that most have never heard of. Proof the mint got carried away in the 1930’s with its commemorative program. Part of my 20th Century OGH type set.
1940 PR65RD CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections 11.22.20. Another CAC OGH for my 20th Century type set.
1919 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 9.27.20. Normally I wait to receive a coin before posting but I’m so excited about this one I couldn’t wait. My first new Lincoln in six months. Maybe I can stop my slide in the registry rankings.
1937 PR67 4D Maundy
Acquired GreatCollections 5.24.20. One of a sequentially numbered set of the 4D, 3D, 2D and 1D Maundy coins all in PR67. Very little auction history on these but as they were a birthday gift from Mrs. CC I made sure not to be outbid.
1936 Wisconsin MS65 CAC OGH-1st Gen
Acquired GreatCollections 3.15.20. Continuing my type set of 20th Century CAC OGH coins. Coin was made at one mint for one year only but still odd no date on the holder.
1938-S Texas MS66 | CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 1.26.20. I now have 12 of 13 Texans - all in MS66 CAC. This too went for way over PCGS price guide. I haven’t seen a 1938-S MS66 CAC in three years so I guess that is why.
1951-D MS67+RD | CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 12.15.19. Destined for the CC Lincoln Wheat Registry Set. Pop 20/1. No bonus for top pop since one is graded finer but a beautiful Lincoln.
1935-S Texas MS66 | CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 11.24.19. I now have 11 out of 13 for my registry set - all MS66 CAC. These don’t come up for auction that often so it will probably be another year before I bag the last two.
1935-S San Diego MS65 CAC OGH (1st Gen)
Acquired GreatCollections 10.27.19. Another coin for my CAC OGH 20th century MS type set. I think a higher proportion of graded commemorative coins get CAC stickers over most other coin series.
1934 MS68RD
Acquired 9.26.19 Legend Auctions. Normally CC seeks coins minted after 1930 in CAC but there is only a single 68 stickered. Another was available the same week at another auction but the strike on this was superior.
1925 George V Sovereign MS65
Acquired 8.4.19 GreatCollections. I have wanted a sovereign for some time and noticed this one going for less than spot! Many people trade these like bullion but I feel it belongs in the world of numismatics.
1951 MS67RD CAC
Acquired 6.8.19 Heritage Auctions. Pop 56/1. It is interesting that you can find hordes of 67+RD Lincolns from the 1930’s but they can be scarce from the 1950’s. That was a period when uncirculated roll collecting was popular so you would think populations would be abundant.
1927 MS67RD CAC
Acquired 6.19.19 GreatCollections. Pop is 55/15. Pre 1930 Lincolns always go for more than later coins with similar population numbers.
1953-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 6.19.19 GreatCollections. A top pop coin (7/-). With so many registry sets above the CC in the rankings I’m always curious why these top pop coins don’t attract more attention.
1942 MS65 CAC(Gold) OGH
Acquired 5.26.19 GreatCollections. CC can never resist a gem coin in an OGH with a gold CAC sticker.
1977 MS65 CAC OGH
Acquired 5.19.19 GreatCollections. Ike’s don’t win any beauty contests but still garner significant collector interest. This is for my 20th Century Gem CAC OGH type set.
1937-S Texas MS66 CAC
Acquired 4.7.19 GreatCollections. CC usually prefers “white” silver coins but this has some appealing toning that doesn’t show well here. CC now has 9 of 13 Texans for this registry set - all MS66 CAC. This is a great example of a doable, affordable registry set. Many of these coins were under $300 and none were over $600.
1879-S MS65 CAC OGH (1st Gen)
Acquired 2.24.19 GreatCollections. Another Morgan for the Gem CAC OGH collection. No CC Morgan registry set started yet and probably never will as there are some coins required that go for over $10k in AU and that is without any in PL and DMPL designations
1949-S MS67+RD CAC
Acquired 2.24.19 GreatCollections. Replaces another 67+RD CAC as this one whispered “buy me”.
1952-D MS67+RD CAC
Purchased 12.16.18 GreatCollections. A top pop (9/-) for the registry set. CC endeavors to make every Lincoln post 1929 a CAC stickered coin.
1883-O MS65 CAC OGH
Purchased 12.16.18 GreatCollections. Another Gem CAC OGH for my Morgan Collection.
1943-D MS68
Purchased 11.18.18 GreatCollections. I now have two out of three 1943 steel cents in MS68 CAC. Replaces a MS67+ non CAC.
1946-S MS67+RD CAC
Purchased 11.4.18 GreatCollections. A none finer top pop coin (8/-). Replaces a MS67RD non CAC. No bump in ranking.
1915-S MS65RD
Purchased 10.11.18 Heritage Auctions. This 340 point registry coin looks a lot better than this picture. Heritage has the absolute worse Lincoln photos.
1930 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 9/30/18. Replaces a MS67RD CAC. Note how many coins have a Gold Shield now - a likely result of the recent PCGS quarterly specials. I sent in two dozen coins for new holders and pictures.
1938 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired Heritage Auctions 7/12/18. Replaces MS67 RD. Typical off color photo by HA. Fortunately a TrueView image was available.
1947-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections 7/1/2018. Replaces a MS67RD. An example of an undervalued coin based on the numbers. It went for a little over $2,000 even though CAC, only six in this grade and none finer. In the highly competitive Lincoln set registries these are the coins in demand.
1940-D MS67-RD CAC
Acquired Heritage Auctions 6/14/18. This fills a hole in the collection. No auction history on PCGS for 1940-D Lincolns in this grade and it’s the first I've seen available. Naturally it went for more than the published price guide. Happy to pay it, I don't think I could have been outbid.
1885 MS66 CAC OGH
Acquired GreatCollections May 20, 2018. Continuing my collection of Gem Morgan's in CAC | OGH
1937 MS67+FB
Acquired GreatCollections May 13, 2018. I try to pick up nice CAC FB Mercury dimes when I can but don't have a registry set going yet.
Acquired David Lawrence April 8, 2018 (Reverse view for those not familiar with intricate design on these Texas coins). This is a 1936-D MS66 CAC.
1943-S MS68 CAC
Acquired GreatCollections April 1, 2018. Who doesn’t love these “steel” cents?
1935-D MS66 CAC
Acquired David Lawrence April 8, 2018. I am building a set of MS66 CAC's in these coins. Yes, I do buy coins besides Lincolns!
1942-D MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections April 1, 2018
1926 MS67+RD CAC
Acquired GreatCollections April 22, 2018. This replaces an MS66RD CAC. No bump in ranking though even though a none finer coin.
ESM Collection (by far the most spent by CC in a single auction)
1912-S MS65RD
From the ESM Collection Sale - Stack's Bowers Baltimore March 22, 2018
1916-D MS65RD CAC
From the ESM Collection Sale - Stack's Bowers Baltimore March 22, 2018
1917-D MS65RD CAC OGH-1st Gen
From the ESM Collection Sale - Stack's Bowers Baltimore March 22, 2018
1925-S MS65RD OGH
From the ESM Collection Sale - Stack's Bowers Baltimore March 22, 2018
1919-S MS64RD CAC
From the ESM Collection Sale - Stack's Bowers Baltimore March 22, 2018
1927-S MS64RD OGH
From the ESM Collection Sale - Stack's Bowers Baltimore March 22, 2018
Custom Coin Cabinet
When I returned to collecting I wanted a nice cabinet to house my collection. Nobody produces quality collector cabinets anymore. Some nice antique ones do come on the market, especially in England, but the logistics of getting something like that from another state or country to my home office are daunting and expensive. I decided to design my own and went to a local furniture maker to have it built.
Below is the result (forgive my poor phone photography). I supplied the solid brass knobs and vegetable dyed organic wool felt for the drawer liners (to avoid storing my coins in a chemical cloud). I chose traditional mahogany but oak or another wood would do. I also added a secret drawer. The larger drawers are for proof sets and PCGS twenty coin trays. The flat drawers hold 9 PCGS slabs across stacked two high and five deep (90 slabs total). The drawer liners are mounted on their own thin board covered in felt. This facilitates removing the liner for cleaning or replacement and avoids slathering the mahogany drawers with glue. The drawers also have a nifty self-closing mechanism so that when they are nearly shut they suck themselves closed. All the drawers are fully adjustable for depth, tilt and height.
58” tall x 27.5” wide x 21” deep
A bust of Napoleon stands guard.
One of the flat drawers pulled out
Silver PF70DCAM National Park State Quarters.
Secret drawer exposed
More of a cool factor than a serious theft deterrent although nobody who has examined the cabinet has been able to find the drawer. More valuable coins are stored in a bank safety deposit box.
If anyone wants the design drawings send an email and I will be happy to provide along with some tips and notes on construction.